Nice thread....I couldn't help but sample a dozen or so shops while I was in Scotland last summer, and EVERY time I asked about mini-monitors the guys waded through the new KEFs, B&W, Monitor Audio, Missions, even the Quad 11L, and ended up at the Spendor S3! Yet their 84db/w (in)efficiency
is unfortunately necessary for voicing that 5" in an acoustic suspension small box. And at 450L VAT-free, discounted ($700), I passed. Glad I did, as I found their big brother, the WONDERFUL Spendor S3/1p in ROSEWOOD used here on A'gon for $800!($1400 list). Sure they're bigger, as they use phenomenally well-matched 6.5" with a Scanspeak tweeter (NOT the cheaper VIFA in the 3/5 or new floorstanders). At 89dB/w they meld completely seamlessly with the SC3 center as my HT front trio (which is also used for FM music)....Yes, Spendor pads the tweeter down a bit to be forgiving (NOT like the aforementioned B&W 60XS3), but if you want some really quick, reasonably extended bass at highish efficiency, look no further....unless you can spend twice as much and get the impressive Revel M20: flatter, more neutral high frequency response is more "high-endish", but not at all as forgiving.
Note also that the Spendor SC3 is simply one and a half S3/5
(two 5" woofers and that Vifa 19mm) in a longer, vented cabinet. I've already suggested to the Spendor rep that they turn this great center sideways to make a tall and narrow L+R pair for HT, or for S3/5 lovers who want more bass and efficiency. But then again that's what the S3/1p is for. So you can pick D'Appolito 2x5+3/4 (18.5"x6"x10") or more tradtional 6.5"+3/4 (8.5x15.5x11") and get that great Spendor midrange and soft treble magic WITH extended bass and high efficiency for about $1100 new (hard to find two used SC3, I'd guess), or $800 used (S3/1p).
Sorry that I'm not familiar with the Swift....
I put the S3/1p on some great 'n cheap ($200) Plateau V23 (inch) sand-filled Target-clone stands. Ellen likes the elegant look, but more (?) importantly they solidify the Spendors' bottom really well.
Happy hunting, and a fine Thanksgiving and Hannukah!
is unfortunately necessary for voicing that 5" in an acoustic suspension small box. And at 450L VAT-free, discounted ($700), I passed. Glad I did, as I found their big brother, the WONDERFUL Spendor S3/1p in ROSEWOOD used here on A'gon for $800!($1400 list). Sure they're bigger, as they use phenomenally well-matched 6.5" with a Scanspeak tweeter (NOT the cheaper VIFA in the 3/5 or new floorstanders). At 89dB/w they meld completely seamlessly with the SC3 center as my HT front trio (which is also used for FM music)....Yes, Spendor pads the tweeter down a bit to be forgiving (NOT like the aforementioned B&W 60XS3), but if you want some really quick, reasonably extended bass at highish efficiency, look no further....unless you can spend twice as much and get the impressive Revel M20: flatter, more neutral high frequency response is more "high-endish", but not at all as forgiving.
Note also that the Spendor SC3 is simply one and a half S3/5
(two 5" woofers and that Vifa 19mm) in a longer, vented cabinet. I've already suggested to the Spendor rep that they turn this great center sideways to make a tall and narrow L+R pair for HT, or for S3/5 lovers who want more bass and efficiency. But then again that's what the S3/1p is for. So you can pick D'Appolito 2x5+3/4 (18.5"x6"x10") or more tradtional 6.5"+3/4 (8.5x15.5x11") and get that great Spendor midrange and soft treble magic WITH extended bass and high efficiency for about $1100 new (hard to find two used SC3, I'd guess), or $800 used (S3/1p).
Sorry that I'm not familiar with the Swift....
I put the S3/1p on some great 'n cheap ($200) Plateau V23 (inch) sand-filled Target-clone stands. Ellen likes the elegant look, but more (?) importantly they solidify the Spendors' bottom really well.
Happy hunting, and a fine Thanksgiving and Hannukah!